It was the perfect reminded of comfort to the young lion. The smell of dirt and the growing plants that took up the space. Jezzabelle had found herself in Greenhouse Three and if she was being honest, she had ran to the greenhouse. Well more like a fast walk because she hadn't wanted to drop the box holding her precious plants.

She had acquired a few new ones over the break that she could not leave at home to be tended to by her aunt and younger cousins. They were just too valuable and she'd die if they died. She walked to a far corner and pulled out four potted plants. One of them was rather rare. The next three weren't uncommon...well to her they weren't. Her rainbow colored rose bush and the love blossom that had yet to bloom. The third was a new addition that she loved. Her precious little Curcuma. She nodded as she set them up for the term and checked their water levels.

After assuring herself that everything was well she turned on her heel and made her exit. All she really wanted to do was prepare herself for the start of the new term.

Alyssa entered the greenhouse. She was here to say hello to her flowered friends, as well as to check on the Fireseed Plant that she had planted at the end of last term. "Hello there everyone. I'm back. I'm not here to feed and clean you this time but I will be back again later to do that. So don't worry I haven't forgotten about you." Alyssa said to her flowered friends.

She then made her way to the darkest areas of the greenhouse where the Fireseed bushes were growing. She crossed over to the Ivy that was growing along the windows and stroked the ivy. "Hello Wasima. How are you doing? Thank you for keeping our friends safe from the dark."Alyssa whispered to the Ivy before walking over to check on the bushes. They looked like they were growing well. She made note to check on the dirt and whether they had enough water the next time she came back to the greenhouse.

Now that she had checked on the plants, she made her way back to the front of the greenhouse and with a little wave,"Goodbye everyone. I'll see you in awhile."she called out to the plants before she left the greenhouse, making sure that she closed the door behind her.

Yes, she knew it was kind of late. Okay kind of wasn't the word for it, it WAS late and Jezzabelle knew better than to be out this late at night. She couldn't resist the pull though. She HAD to be here and HAD to...to...do something. She couldn't really remember what exactly but the second she entered the greenhouse everything felt safe. No not safe, but calming enough that she felt safe.

"Lumos," she said softly lighting the tip of her wand so she could see where she was headed in the greenhouse. There they were, the reason she had come into the greenhouse. Her precious little plants. She looked at all three of them, because she had given the fourth to Professor Bentley. They needed to be cared for.

Grabbing a nearby watering can she filled it up and went to each plant adding some water. She dug around in her bag for the growing dust that was required for certain ones and sprinkled it on the appropriate plant. Finally she trimmed up and dying leaves and made sure that the withered petals were removed.

Drying out the watering can she placed it back and then returned to her plant. She stared at the love blossom and try to will it to bloom mentally. It needed to open and bloom. It had been such a long time and she was beginning to worry that she hadn't taken proper care of it. The same way everyone had stopped taking proper care of her.

She began to cry leaning over the plant in question. "Will you please bloom for me. Open up and let me see your beauty," she whispered softly. "Will you accept my love and grow and be beautiful?" She felt the tears leak down her cheek and watched as they fell into the soil at the base of the flower and she felt her energy drain right out of her and she closed her eye resting her head on the table. Maybe a little nap?

Striding swiftly to the entrance of greenhouse four, Seren turned and waited for West to catch up. She wasn't moving too fast was she?
Withdrawing her wand from her robes, Seren pointed it at the deadlock and removed the enchantments restricting students from entering. This greenhouse, required supervision.o Then pulling a long chain of keys from her pockets, her expert hands picked out one in particular and jabbed it into the greenhouse doors lock before swinging it wide open on its hinges.

Now.. it was time to impress and show of her lovely beauties.
"Is there anything in particular you wanted to see?"

West would have been in FRONT but he'd got distracted on the way so that had slowed him down a bit but now he was THERE dogging Professor Bentley's heels like an eager and bouncy puppy.

Woowwww! He watched her do stuff with her wand in fascination toooo, and the key and then she asked a QUESTION and West got all overwhelmed and blurted out, "All of them!"

WAITTILHETOLDHISDAD!

All of them? ... ALLL of them?
It was all she could do to restrain herself. She was excited, super excited even more excited than he had been when observing and studying the Spanish Fiend Fir. Perhaps even more excited than when she had actually talked her way into acquiring a specimen and bringing it into the country. More excited than having it brought into the school even. But now it was her time to shine.
"Well then, I have something special for you," she said gesturing for the boy to enter first.

Oh there were oh so many things to show him, cool things.. like the Kackling Catus.. and Snargaluff and of course her little Spanish Fiend Fir spruce.

Inside the entrance, the fanged geraniums have been moved back to their rightful positions, beside them on one side were self-fertilising shrubs and opposite them were the Mediterranean Throat-Latching Carnation. Unrolling the picture West had made her, she marveled at the likeness. "You have quite a skill West," she mused out loud.

If he hyperventilated from excitement much longer, he'd pass out, but West was currently bouncing so fast that he was vibrating with eagerness, and looking left and right and up and down and ABSORBING everything he could SEE.

He went on in. "Something speeeecial?" bizzzzouuuunnccceee.

"OH LOOK!" YEAH! He pointed, even though he knew she knew they were there and that she could seee. "Should I put on a scarf? I read that scarves are good." On account of the throat-latching. Though as long as he didn't get too close... OHBUTHEWANTEDTOGETCLOSE!

But somehow managed to restrain himself. Really, he was being very good.

"Oh what? Oh the drawing. Yeah. Thanks! I like to draw. Its cool fun." Eyes on the awesomeness over theeeere though.

Holy Mother of Merlin...
What was with this child?! Why did he have to be SO enthusiastic and bouncy?! He was making her just as excited, if not more so... it was like a toxic energy infecting her, making her want to resort to pointing squealing and bouncing. Taking a deep breath, Seren composed herself. No... she was not a child, she was a professor, and thus had to behave like one.

This was easier said that done.
"A scarf's not necessary right now, though when handling them it's a good precautionary measure. I highly recommend a dragon scale snood... they're practical and fashionable." Or at least she thought so.

Her special surprise... oh yes indeed.
"West... how do you feel about Snargaluffs?" Or was that too scary for first years?

A snooooooood? Weren't those what ladies used to wear in their hair in medieval times? West tipped his head to one side but simply nodded. He would look in a book and be sure about it. He didn't want to wear a lady's head thing.

His eyes got all big and bright. "Snargaluffs!?"

Unable to avoid it, he clapped his hands together, though he did manage to keep it relatively subdued considering he didn't want to startle any plants that ought not be startled.

"Will we get to harvest some of their pods? I've read about Snargaluffs. They helped fight the Battle of Hogwarts, you know? Or at least, the pods. That's pretty cool. Like I don't think all that many people know that, or maybe they wouldn't be so worried about them. Are you TEASING me, Professor? Will you really show me some, for real?"

He would have SO MUCH to write in his next letter to his dad!

"Funny you should mention that, I did a lesson on harvesting Snargaluff pods last year ... though... maybe, if you'd like, we could harvest one now. They are in season after all." And if the students could handle harvesting pods in small groups with only her supervision, then together West would be able to handle the task.
"And no... I would never tease." Because that would be 100% mean, and she was anything but that. Although, she somehow managed to make a Hufflepuff cry. Odd.

"Ohhhhh that would be SO coooooool!" West breathed, and then gave an excited little jump. AWESOMEAWESOMEAWESOMEEEEE!

"What do you do with Snargaluff pods after you harvest them, Professor Bentley? There aren't death eaters any more to throw them at." Serious question.

And he approved of the not teasing. Very much.

"I've never met a Snargaluff before."

"Oh goody! This way," she said motioning for him to tag along, "Keep close though."
While some students deserved to be nibbled on, West was a darling, so he should be preserved and kept safe. Not that she wouldn't protect all her students, because she would ... but some were asking for trouble really.

But anyway.

"Good question! They're sometimes still used in magic warfare... though more guerrilla style, very primitive considering, but still effective. Parts of it can be used in potions ... they have strengthening properties."
The boy wasn't getting any dangerous ideas now was he?

"Keeping close?"
It wasn't a long walk, and soon, very soon, the Snargaluffs came into view. The two stumps stood opposite each other, the back door beyond their reach.

"They're quite lovely once you get used to their presence."
Seren had a fondness for them, though she could understand how some people would find them frightening... those narrow-minded witches and wizards that wouldn't give them the time of day.

He would keep close. Super close. He was excited and eager but this Odessa, like all Odessas, was not stupid.

West was nodding with great enthusiasm. MAGIC WARFARE??? wowwww. COOL. GUERILLA STYLE!

He was mentally taking notes. Strengthening properties in potions... okay. Noted. He nodded enthusiastically.

"Yup! I'm close!" AND THERE THEY WERE LOOK, LOOOOOK!

Certainly, West wasn't frightened. Eager and excited though.

"How come they evolved to look like stumps, professor?"

It was refreshing and exciting, having a super eager student hot at her heels. Definitely a pleasant change to those who feigned interest in the subject.

Admiring Snargaluffs was something she could do all day, if work would allow her, but unfortunately she didn't have that much liberty. Maybe one day.

"Why else would one evolve? Can you think of no reasons?" Seren arched an eyebrow curiously. Surely an Odessa could make an educated guess.

That was the sort of thing his dad would do, ask questions to encourage West to actually think about the answers himself. It made sense to do that since he was prone to ask a LOT of questions, and even if an answer was given often would follow it up with a 'why'.

He made a thoughtful sound and eyed them up.

After a time he spoke, "Maybe 'cos there was lots of tree felling going on? You can't get cut down if you're already a stump. Maybe also to encourage creatures and people to sit on it? So it can eat them. Hey, wouldn't it be cool if the cackling stump in Babbitty Rabbitty was actually a snargaluff? And like, the statue that got stuck on the stump was actually on the snargaluff and then whenever people went close to look, it would have free food!"

Seren couldn't help but smile as West took the time to consider his response. A part of her wondered why the boy wasn't a Ravenclaw, he certainly had claw-like tendencies, not to mention family connections to support the trend. Yet, at the same time, she wondered why he wasn't a Lion. West was certainly an adventurous young boy, bright, but he had a strong spirit... he'd have made a mighty fine Lion.

Nevertheless, Seren snapped out of her thoughts as West answered his own question.
"Yes, I'd say you're hit the nail on the head there. Plants usually evolve and adapt for one of two reasons. Food or defence. In this case... since they're more than capable of looking after themselves, food becomes their primary target and the reason for their adaptions."

"And free food is the best food, and not dying, that is awesome too." West said, nodding wisely. He was so wise, he knew things.

"Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Snargaluff." He murmured. It would have made a better story. "I wonder if the Snargaluff knows that we think it looks like a stump? I mean, what if the Snargaluff is just a Snargaluff, and its the stump that looks like it? This is SO cool professor. I'm so gonna tell my dad!"

Jezzabelle made her way into Greenhouse three and was careful to avoid hitting anything with her sticks on the way through. She needed to grab to bright green roses from her rose bush and she was going to need two black pebbles for pupils....

She pulled out her wand and said, "Flipnsnipwitit," properly cutting off two of her beloved green roses. She then performed a charm that would preserve the flowers so that the would not wilt and die. She needed them to remain blooming and wide open.

Making her way out of the green house she spotted some twine in the cabinet at the door. It was better than the vine idea so she quickly cut of a good bit of it and then left to go and begin on her project.

delete please

Bright blue eyes scanned the ground, looking for material pliable enough to twist and bend for his project. He started to open the cupboards and found a rather large roll of stiff netting and some long wooden skewers to make sure the netting can stand and was sturdy enough to carry the weight of a climbing, flowering vine.

He lay the materials on the ground and started with the netting, cutting off a piece then rolled and twisted it into a support structure that looked very much like a letter R. He inserted the thick skewers at certain places to make the netting stand, ensuring that there is a good enough length at the end that will later be buried into the soil. Having done with one letter, he proceeded to repeat the process but with other letters of the message. It was a bit tedious, and at times frustrating for the Ravenclaw lad, but finally he was done.

Now he needed to prep the pot where these pieces are supposed to go in.

Derrick wandered into the Greenhouses casually.He was gathering materials for his Mission.He looked around,There was a few people around but not alot.He wandered over to where some flowers were he planted not long ago.His parents had sent him some flowers for study.He walked over to where they were and stopped in front of them.They were half Dead so he was wondering what to do with them when it hit him.Use the petals for the mission.He looked at the slightly Brown Flowers and picked some off.

Alyssa entered the Greenhouse and made her way to the darkest area where the Fireseed Bushes were growing. She patted the Ivy that was keeping the area nice and dark. "Hello again Wasima. It is nice to see that you are making sure that our friends here are protected from the sun. Thank you for doing that." Alyssa whispered to the Ivy before making her way to where the Fireseed Bushes were growing.

Putting on her dragon hide gloves, Alyssa bent down to test whether the Fireseed bushes had enough soil and water. From what she could see, it looked like the bushes needed a replenishment of both. Remembering that the Fireseed bush required that both the water and soil be warm, Alyssa walked back up to the supply cabinet and took out a bucket and a bag of dragon dung before making her way back to where the Fireseed bushes were.

Putting on her goggles, and making sure that her gloves were on tight, Alyssa first needed to warm the bucket. She unholstered her wand and pointed it inside the bucket. Bending her wrist and rotating it in a smooth circular motion, Alyssa said, "Chawn-Den-Sis" while at the same time concentrating on what she wanted the charm to do.

Alyssa then waited until she could fill hot air rising from the bucket. Ending the spell by saying, "Finite" Alyssa quickly holstered her wand and poured the dragon dung into the warmed bucket. She then carried the bucket to the bed where the Fireseed Bushes were growing and allowed the soil to warm up in the bucket for a couple of minutes, before slowly adding the soil to the flower bed. She then kneeled down and spread the warm soil around the bushes, smoothing it out before gently patting it down.

Next she had to water the soil and that would require the Aguamenti Charm.

He felt bad. He felt really, really bad.

Alec didn't really know how to act when he felt bad about something. Usually, he did something to make up for whatever he had done before to make him feel bad. Sometimes it was in the form of making a huge promise or getting a gift or making a fool out of himself just to make someone else feel better. But he knew that he couldn't do any of that when the person involved was a Professor.

So, he was here. In the Greenhouses. A place he hadn't really been to properly before.

The thirteen year old pulled the protective gloves on his hands before frowning at the area around him. He had to make up for what he had done but he didn't really know how. He had some seeds with him, yes, and he had his wand. But what could he do that would be good enough? Hm...

Alec took out the seeds in the little bag and peered at them closely. They seemed to be fine... so maybe he could plant them and, hopefully, they would grow in a couple of weeks' time? Yeah. That sounded like a plan. And girls liked flowers, didn't they? Yeah... he could do this.

The Hufflepuff walked over towards the cupboard and peered at the items on the shelves. He smiled before reaching up and grabbing the trowel. There. He walked back towards the empty patch he was standing close to earlier. This... was going to work!

Now that Alyssa had laid the soil on the flower beds of the Fireseed bushes, she had to water them. Again like the soil she knew that she had to warm the water but first she needed to fill a watering can with water.

Alyssa walked back to the supply cabinet and took out a watering can and carried it back to the darkest area of the greenhouse andstopped where the Fireseed bushes grew. Now all she needed to do was to fill the watering can with water. Taking out her wand, Alyssa pointed her wand into the watering can and said, "Aguamenti". Water started streaming out of her wand and started filling up the watering can in front of her.

Alyssa waited until the watering can was full before she ended the spell by saying."FINITE". Now that the watering can was filled with water, Alyssa needed to warm up the water before she could water the Fireseed bushes, and that would require her using the Chaundensis charm again.